Johnny Lawrence vs Mike Barnes: Who Really Won?

Warning! This article contains spoilers for Cobra Kai season 6!

Summary Mike Barnes was the stronger fighter against Johnny Lawrence in Cobra Kai season 6, despite the outcome of their epic fight.

Johnny's development in using Miyagi-Do defensive moves showed growth and allowed him to defeat Barnes in the match.

In a regulated tournament-style match, the outcome between Johnny and Barnes might have been different due to their strengths and tactics.

Johnny Lawrence and Mike Barnes faced off for a pretty epic fight in Cobra Kai season 6, but who was the actual winner? Thirty years ago, the thought of these two characters fighting would have only been possible in audiences' imaginations since they were villains in two separate Karate Kid movies. Of course, bringing such moments to the screen is precisely what Cobra Kai does best, and there is finally an answer for who would win in a fight. Still, this was only one match, and the variables might have been in one character's favor—did the stronger fighter really win?

As the central protagonist of Cobra Kai, Johnny has been featured in dozens of fights at this point in the series, but Mike Barnes was someone he hadn't yet been paired up with. Barnes, who was one of the villains of The Karate Kid Part 3, fought side-by-side with Johnny at the end of Cobra Kai season 5, but season 6 saw their old aggressions come to a head. The result was a pretty badass fight in Barnes' wood shop, complete with a threatening saw and a whole lot of sawdust. Both Johnny and Barnes put up a great fight, but one stood out as being a little beyond the other.

Related Cobra Kai Season 6: Part 1 Review - The Flaws Of Netflix's Season-Splitting Model Are Starting To Show Cobra Kai's final season gets off to a slow start in Part 1, but the cliffhanger promises a strong conclusion for parts 2 and 3 to close the show.

Mike Barnes Was The Stronger Fighter (Even Though He Lost)

Mike Barnes Is One Of The Karate Kid Franchise's Most Powerful Fighters

Johnny Lawrence and Mike Barnes both brought some pretty cool moves to their fight in Cobra Kai season 6. Right from the start, the pair kicked off the match by launching a punch at precisely the same time and only making contact with one another's fists. This shows just how similarly matched they were, but as the fight progressed, it was clear that Barnes had an edge. Just as he had been in The Karate Kid Part 3, Mike Barnes was all furious attack, with kicks and punches in such rapid succession that it was difficult for Johnny to get a word in edgewise.

It wasn't long before Barnes had Johnny on the ground, and it seemed for a moment that he had won. However, Johnny came back with a well-timed kick to the face, and the pair were back at it. After both came close to the whirring saw that had been dramatically turned on during the fight, Barnes was thrown through a wooden table and ultimately threw his hands up in defeat. Just as back in The Karate Kid movies, Mike Barnes was the better fighter, but he lost thanks to the careful defensive skills of Miyagi-Do karate.

Johnny Lawrence Was Saved My Miyagi-Do Defensive Moves

Johnny's Fight With Barnes Demonstrated His Growth In Season 6

Close

During the first half of his fight against Mike Barnes, Johnny fought with his regular old style. There was a lot of strength and some pretty cool moves, but he just couldn't hold up to Barnes' strength and speed. It was precisely this that had Daniel so terrified of the villain 30 years prior in The Karate Kid Part 3, and for Johnny to win, he would have to resort to the same kinds of skills. After kicking Barnes in the face, Johnny changed gears. Barnes' subsequent attacks were blocked perfectly by some very Miyagi-style moves, followed by a very Johnny-style round-house kick—a perfect blend.

Barnes' subsequent attacks were blocked perfectly by some very Miyagi-style moves, followed by a very Johnny-style round-house kick—a perfect blend.

It seems that, in the final season of Cobra Kai, Johnny truly is embracing Miyagi-Do, and its making him an even better fighter. The series is setting up the old Karate Kid villain to become the primary sensei of Miyagi-Do, with the reveal that Mr. Miyagi himself had once been more like Johnny than Daniel when he was younger. This big fight with Mike Barnes further supports this evolution. Johnny may not be stronger, but discovering the balance brought on by Miyagi-Do allows him to defeat someone like Barnes, whose skill goes far beyond his own.

Who Would Win In A Tournament Style Match?

Things Might Have Been Different On A Regulated Playing Field

Of course, a lot was going on during the fight between Johnny and Barnes that made it a little less than fair. Aside from both fighters needing to get out a little frustration and aggression, the match taking place in Barnes' woodshop put him at a disadvantage. The man had just lost his furniture shop in Cobra Kai season 5 when Terry Silver burned it down, so he clearly didn't want his shop to get destroyed. It was only after Johnny threw Barnes through a table that he surrendered. So, how would things go if the pair were in a fair tournament-style match?

A no-rules frenzy in a wood shop is certainly more their style, but it would be interesting to see how things would work out if Johnny and Barnes were on a mat instead. Johnny's newly discovered defensive skills would surely be just as effective, but a less irrational Barnes might be better equipped to contend with this. If they had faced each other in several matches, Barnes would likely have won more victories in the end since he is clearly the stronger fighter. However, it's safe to say that Johnny would also claim many wins of his own. Cobra Kai likely won't have an answer, but it's certainly fun to imagine.

Cobra Kai season 6, part 2, premieres on Netflix on November 15, 2024.